


in one another's shelter

by Jedi Buttercup (jedibuttercup)



Series: Comment Fic Collection [11]
Category: The Great Wall (2017)
Genre: Comment Fic, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Reconciliation, Wordcount: 500-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 14:19:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10310156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jedibuttercup/pseuds/Jedi%20Buttercup
Summary: The further West they rode, the closer they came to the inevitable decision of what to do next.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [squidgiepdx (squidgie)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/squidgie/gifts).



> Written for a commentfic prompt, but also because I couldn't let the only fic in the fandom remain a crossover!
> 
> I know there was controversy about this movie, but it was visually gorgeous, full of monster-killing action, both touching and funny in places, entertaining if you didn't squint too hard at the plot holes, and did a decent job of avoiding the White Savior trope as much as it could. And had some surprisingly resonant emotional throughlines. So, fic. :)

On the surface their banter hadn't changed, but William knew better after so many months of travel together. There were subjects Tovar was choosing to avoid; topics of conversation that dragged down the corners of his mouth and drove him from William's side with some convenient excuse.

It didn't surprise him; a lot had happened since they'd lost their last companions to a monster in the dark and run straight into the path of an unimaginable war. Both of them had made choices that defied their expectations of one another-- and, speaking for himself at least, of themselves as well. It was only natural that Tovar didn't want to speak of such matters in front of their prettily armored escorts.

But the further West they rode, the closer they came to the inevitable decision of what to do next. William hadn't forgotten Tovar's joking reminders that they'd have been enemies back home, and the question was still up in the air whether they would be again, at the end of their journey.

He hoped not; the events that had overtaken him at the Wall, and in Bianjing, had made him consider his future as he hadn't in years. Tovar wasn't wrong: they were liars, thieves, and killers. But that didn't mean there wasn't room for other things, too. William could have gone home a very rich man; the amount of black powder the Emperor had promised would have set him up with land, money, women, anything he could have asked for. But in order to get it-- he would have had to leave Tovar to die.

If any of it had meant anything at all... then the answer had been inevitable. He could no more have condemned his friend than he could have missed a shot from his bow. But whether or not they _stayed_ together would depend greatly on why Tovar had left _him_ behind.

His chance to ask finally came when Lin's soldiers left them at the edge of the steppes, a day's ride from the nearest outpost where they might contact their people. The stars were bright pinpricks overhead, and the flames lit red-gold highlights in Tovar's dark, tousled hair as they sat around the fire; William watched the shadows shift over his friend's strong, familiar face, and pointedly cleared his throat.

Tovar must have been expecting such a gesture; his posture grew stiff as he looked up from the stick he was poking into the coals to meet William's gaze. Then he shook his head, expression wry.

"Have you thought, yet, of what message you will send your company?"

"I had not thought to tell them anything," William shrugged. "They will assume me dead; and in truth, it is better so. I will not lift my bow for a petty man's war ever again."

"And if they know you live, they will not leave such a renowned warrior alone," Tovar finished the thought, a bitter note underlying the words. "Still intent on playing the hero, then."

William sighed. "I'm not _playing_ at anything. And I'd just as soon word of that doesn't make it back West, either. I didn't do what I did for the fame."

"No," Tovar replied, dark, solemn eyes scanning William's face. "That much I would have been blind not to notice."

William frowned. Joking about that at the Wall had been understandable; he hadn't been blind to Lin's more attractive qualities either, of which her physical beauty had only been one. But they'd left her behind weeks ago, and Tovar had never been this jealous about anyone else he'd kept company with on their quest, beautiful or otherwise.

"You know, whatever you're thinking... if that kid hadn't vouched for my innocence, Lin would have killed me anyway," he replied, testing the waters. "She was furious at the betrayal."

Tovar flinched, but his jaw set stubbornly as he pointed his stick at William. "No, she wouldn't. Do you think I'd have left you, even with Sir Ballard so determined to go, if I hadn't seen her looking back? There is a saying-- _'what fills the eyes, fills the heart.'_ She would never have killed you; she'd only have locked you up until the next battle came."

"That's what she did anyway," William replied dryly, then shook his head. "Is that-- seriously, is that why...? I wasn't in _love_ with her, Tovar; I was... fascinated, I admit, but not in that way. She was disgusted with me for fighting for money; she wanted to show me the worth of _xìnrèn_ instead. Trust. And do you know what convinced me she was right?"

Tovar scoffed and turned back to the fire. "Do I want to know?"

William rolled his eyes, suddenly filled with exasperated fondness. "Idiot. _You_. When you followed me over the Wall for no God damned reason except that I was in danger. When I realized Ballard had set off his escape plan... I was actually coming back to the room to try to talk to you again."

The stick dropped into the coals, and Tovar looked up again, disbelieving. "I suppose I proved you wrong when I followed him. But then, why...?"

" _Idiot_ ," William repeated again, grin widening. A question that obvious didn't deserve the obvious answer. "I told you; leaving me behind is bad luck... for the one who left me."

"So now I'm... stuck with you?" Tovar ventured, eyeing William as if truly seeing him for the first time since they'd left the Wall.

"That _is_ the general idea."

"But if neither of us reports back... what would we even do?" Tovar replied; but there was more life and hope in his tone than William had heard in weeks.

"Oh, I don't know. You think there's any _other_ non-human threats to be fought?" he suggested with a wink.

A smile grew on Tovar's face, and William knew his question had been answered the way he'd hoped.

...Well, maybe not _all_ the way. But there'd be time for that now, too.

**Author's Note:**

> For the comment fic [prompt](http://comment-fic.livejournal.com/800325.html?thread=102567749#t102567749): "Any, Any/Any, What fills the eyes, fills the heart."


End file.
